Chapter 17: How Bliss Resolves the Situation

Duke Blast had come to see Caelan with a single request concerning the Imperial Princess.

‘Imperial Princess Jasmin Ganesia.’

The Duke sought the princess because of her peculiar hobby. Being an avid collector of rare items, her private chambers housed not only one-of-a-kind pieces but also numerous objects possessing special abilities.

The item the Duke sought was one such treasure. Though it should have been in his possession originally, it had vanished following an attack. Rumors then began circulating that this item had found its way into the princess’s private chambers.

“I could approach her directly, but that’s absolutely not an option.”

He couldn’t afford to show any obvious interest in acquiring it.

The Duke intended to keep his connection to the item a secret. That was why he would ask Caelan while requesting discretion, knowing full well that Caelan would never betray his confidence.

“Besides, the princess isn’t one to be reasoned with easily. She won’t part with it willingly.”

Beyond her inherent royal arrogance and selfishness, the Duke planned to use Caelan precisely because of the princess’s unpredictable nature.

If that had been the extent of it, Bliss wouldn’t have felt compelled to step in.

“He’s going to frame Caelan, and I can’t stand idly by.”

The Duke’s scheme extended beyond retrieving the item – he planned to spread rumors linking Caelan with the princess. It was a calculated move to damage Caelan’s reputation by implying he harbored ulterior motives toward her.

These details weren’t mere speculation; they were the Duke’s own words to his subordinates in the original story. The complication lay in the timing – in the novel, the Duke had visited after Caelan’s wife’s death, making it uncertain whether his current visit shared the same purpose.

“I need to see for myself.”

Understanding what was happening was crucial to unraveling the Duke’s scheme.

When Bliss approached the reception room, a knight barred her path. As she studied his unfamiliar face, her gaze fell upon the red raven emblem of the Duke’s family emblazoned on his chest. While the Duke’s knight maintained his guard with drawn sword, the Marquis’s knights gathered protectively around Bliss.

“Lower your sword. This is the Marchioness.”

“No one may enter.”

The Duke’s knight held his ground, refusing to lower his sword despite recognizing Bliss’s identity.

“Duke Blast is inside.”

At the knight’s explanation, the Marquis’s knights bristled with indignation. They were affronted by his presumptuous behavior, acting as though he had authority in the Marquis’s own estate.

“This is the Adrian estate. There is no place the Marchioness cannot go.”

“She may go wherever she pleases, naturally. However, this reception room is off-limits.”

“The reception room is for receiving guests. Is it not natural for the Marchioness, as lady of the house, to greet them?”

“Things are different when that guest is Duke Blast.”

The Duke’s knight addressed the Marquis’s knight with blatant condescension, abandoning all pretense of formal speech. By rights, there existed no hierarchy among knights, save for those who held titles. They were meant to show mutual respect, yet these knights claimed superiority merely through their association with the Duke’s household.

“Mind your manners. As we were knighted on the same day, we should maintain proper courtesy.”

“That’s a matter of perspective.”

Tension mounted between the Duke’s disdainful knight and the increasingly agitated Marquis’s knights. Bliss, who had been observing their exchange in silence, stepped forward.

“That’s enough.”

There was no time to address their arrogance. Whether deliberate or not, precious moments were slipping away during their power struggle. If matters concluded before she could intervene, the situation would become irreversible.

“I heard clearly that Duke Blast is inside.”

Bliss made no attempt to feign ignorance. She acknowledged his presence without demanding entry. Noting the subtle pride that crossed the Duke’s knight’s face at her admission, Bliss prepared to speak.

“As the lady of the Marquis’s household, I have the right to go anywhere in this mansion. However, since the Duke is present, I won’t force the issue.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

The knights’ expressions shifted dramatically. The Duke’s knight smiled smugly, while the Marquis’s knight stiffened as if they were betrayed. Whether or not she noticed their reactions, Bliss turned the situation around with a neutral expression.

“But you’re forgetting one thing. My husband is also in there.”

The knight’s expression contorted uneasily.

“I came to see my husband.”

Bliss maintained steady eye contact with the knight as she spoke.

“I’m simply here to see my husband. Is the Duke’s household trying to prevent that? Or perhaps attempting to create discord between the Marquis and his wife?”

Bliss fixed him with a pointed look, silently questioning if he would risk such rumors spreading. The truth was irrelevant – if gossip about this incident began circulating, it would certainly overshadow any scandalous rumors about the Duke.

‘Besides, if he’s aware of the conversation taking place inside, he won’t be able to maintain his position.’

After all, wasn’t the Duke planning to create a scandal by connecting the Imperial Princess with Caelan? If the knight knew of that plan, he certainly wouldn’t allow damaging rumors about the Duke to spread.

Just as Bliss anticipated, the Duke’s knight cast anxious glances at the reception room before lowering his sword. His retreat confirmed his knowledge of the Duke’s purpose. This reinforced Bliss’s suspicions. Once she realized the Duke was likely discussing the Imperial Princess, she knew she had to intervene.

“Well then, continue your guard duty.”

Bliss commented as she entered. The Marquis’s knight personally opened the door for her, a subtle smile playing on his lips, clearly pleased at having made the Duke’s knight yield.

Finding his satisfaction over such a minor victory childish, Bliss walked inside.

“I wondered about the commotion outside. So it was the Marchioness.”

Bliss turned toward the sharp voice that greeted her. A middle-aged man, slouched into the sofa, was watching her intently.

He had clearly heard everything that transpired outside. His brow remained furrowed, evidently displeased that she had managed to enter despite his knight’s efforts. His slanted eyes, hooked nose, deep frown lines, and thin lips created an austere impression.

Observing his features, Bliss nodded inwardly. The man before her matched the novel’s description perfectly.

“Indeed. You’ve brought quite a troublesome knight with you. It would be wise not to keep such disruptive individuals in your service.”

Bliss settled calmly beside Caelan, placing the blame for the disturbance squarely on the Duke’s knight. The Duke clicked his tongue at her audacity, while Caelan observed her with curious interest.

In the tense atmosphere, Bliss requested tea from Caelan. He smiled as he placed a cup before her and poured. Bliss nodded appreciatively after inhaling the aroma.

“The tea’s fragrance is delightful. What were you discussing?”

“Ahem.”

The Duke cleared his throat uncomfortably and remained silent. However, Caelan, seeing no reason for secrecy, readily shared the Duke’s request.

“He wants me to obtain something from Imperial Princess Jasmin.”

“What is it?”

Bliss affected an expression of innocent curiosity, though her mind was working rapidly. She understood the Duke’s purpose but couldn’t remain a passive observer.

“I was about to explain that.”

Fortunately, she hadn’t arrived too late. When Bliss turned to the Duke, he began speaking, though reluctantly. He seemed to have concluded that concealment was pointless since Caelan had already informed Bliss.

“What kind of item is it?”

“Well… it looks like this.”

The Duke turned toward Caelan and retrieved a piece of paper from within his coat.

The Duke’s condescending behavior inside mirrored how his knights had treated the Marquis’s men outside. His attitude was particularly grating, considering Caelan’s status as a Marquis.

Nevertheless, Bliss kept her silence, choosing to observe how events would unfold.

“It’s a dagger.”

“That’s right.”

The drawing depicted what seemed to be an ordinary dagger.

“As you can see, it’s nothing extraordinary. However, this blade holds special meaning to me. Someone promised it as repayment for a favor. Though I wasn’t particularly keen, I agreed to accept since they insisted. Unfortunately, it somehow got mixed in with the Imperial Princess’s collection.”

Caelan’s silence prompted the Duke to elaborate further on his predicament.

“Under normal circumstances, I would handle this personally, but I’m required to depart for the kingdom tomorrow. His Majesty has issued urgent orders that cannot be delayed. I attempted to arrange a private audience with Her Highness the Imperial Princess today, but unfortunately, she was unavailable.”

It was an expertly crafted excuse. Should Caelan act during the Duke’s absence, the Duke could easily distance himself from any consequences.

Bliss clicked her tongue in silent disapproval.